France’s Robin Lesqueren and Galax du Rouet were first to take on the course but encountered several difficulties and eventually elected to retire. Next into the arena, Natalie Dean and Pedro van de Barlebuis continued their excellent week in Dublin with a fault-free performance, opening the possibility of a jump-off. Jason Foley and Cute Face quickly followed with another perfect round to confirm it.

Daniel Deusser and Pepita van’t Meulenhof BR and Daniel Coyle with Gisborne VDL both left all the fences standing but collected a single time penalty. By the halfway point, six combinations had already secured their places in the jump-off.

As the first round came to an end, 12 combinations had produced clear rounds and earned their ticket to the jump-off: Natalie Dean and Pedro van de Barlebuis, Jason Foley and Cute Face, Jérôme Guéry and Kiliman Sitte, Yuri Mansur and Incanto VDL, Jordan Coyle and Cordiamo, Laura Kraut and Una Mariposa, Tom Wachman and Do It Easy, William Whitaker and Millfield Quickstep, Charlotte Leoni and Miss Marie van’t Winnenhof, Richard Vogel and Phenyo van het Keysersbos, Kevin Staut and Ever de Turan, and Rodrigo Pessoa and Hard’Rock AF.

William Whitaker elected not to return for the jump-off, leaving 11 combinations to battle for victory.

First to return, Natalie Dean immediately raised the bar. The American rider produced another clear with Pedro van de Barlebuis and stopped the clock in 37.61 seconds, setting a strong target for those to follow.

The pressure began to show as Jason Foley, Jérôme Guéry and Yuri Mansur all collected faults. Jordan Coyle, already a multiple winner in Dublin this week, gave everything in front of his home crowd but a rail denied him another clear.

Laura Kraut and Una Mariposa then delivered a second fault-free round, crossing the finish line in 39.61 seconds to move into provisional second place.

But it was Tom Wachman who sent the home crowd into celebration. Partnering Do It Easy, the young Irish rider produced a fast and perfectly judged clear, stopping the clock in 37.02 seconds to take the lead.

Charlotte Leoni and Miss Marie van’t Winnenhof also completed a double clear in 42.34 seconds, before World No. 2 Richard Vogel and Phenyo van het Keysersbos launched a spectacular challenge. Vogel took every risk and crossed the line in what would have been the fastest time of the class, 35.35 seconds, but a fault at the penultimate fence ended his hopes of victory.

With Rodrigo Pessoa and Hard’Rock AF last to challenge the leaders, the Brazilian also collected four faults, confirming victory for Wachman and Ireland.

Tom Wachman and Do It Easy took the Gallagher Stakes in 37.02 seconds, ahead of Natalie Dean and Pedro van de Barlebuis in 37.61 seconds, while Laura Kraut and Una Mariposa completed the podium in 39.61 seconds.

A final Irish victory before Sunday’s showpiece provided the perfect conclusion to the qualifying competitions. Attention now turns to the Rolex Grand Prix of Ireland, where 40 of the week’s best combinations will meet in the Main Arena on Sunday at 3:00 p.m.